Thailand is a favorite vacation spot for travelers from different countries, including Russia. Already "mastered" the resorts of Phuket and the islands of Phi Phi, Similan and James Bond. And now the eyes of lovers of relaxation in the lap of pristine nature are fixed on two small islands located near Phuket, at a distance of twelve kilometers from its east coast.
Why is it worth visiting the islands?
The Racha Islands, which are famous for the azure sea, magnificent palm groves, snow-white beaches, corals of extraordinary beauty - this is a true paradise for lovers of pristine nature and secluded relaxation. The name of the islands comes from the word "raja" - "royal". As we have already said, there are two islands with the same name: Racha Noi and Racha Yai (small and large).
Racha Noah
Racha Noi Island is located ten kilometers south of Racha Yai Island. There are no beaches, as, however, and flat areas. Racha Noi is practically uninhabited, but it also has rare beaches, rocky shores and amazingly beautiful nature. It was chosen by lovers of fishing and diving. In a completely different light appears before travelers Ko Racha Yai. It is cozy and comfortable for everyone who is tired of the hustle and bustle of large cities.
Racha Yai Island
This is a full-fledged, rapidly gaining popularity resort with a well-developed infrastructure: bungalows, hotels, shops, a walking area, restaurants and entertainment. Racha Island (Phuket) is quite small - its width is about three kilometers, and its length is one and a half. This tiny stretch of land attracts tourists with snow-white beaches, a delightful underwater world with coral reefs and colorful fish.
Racha Island (Thailand) has a mountainous landscape. Its territory is covered with dense tropical vegetation and palm trees. Even in the rainy season, the climate here is mild and warm. Racha is an island that does not differ in a huge concentration of tourists. Prices for accommodation and food here are much higher than in Phuket. Thais believe that for a vacation in secluded places of pristine nature it is worth paying one and a half to two times more expensive than for living in the mainland or in Phuket.
Most tourists come here for a one-day excursion from Phuket or other neighboring islands. Nevertheless, for tourists there are several hotels, cafes and restaurants. On the coast there are trays with tourist products, though not numerous. Here you can buy fresh fruits, coconuts and beach items.
In the center of the island is a small village, which has a diving center and a grocery store.
Hotels
There are three main beaches on the island (we will talk about them a bit later). Next to them are the main hotels and bungalows. At Patok beach is the best hotel - The Racha hotel 5 *. It is famous for its magnificent views of the sea, a swimming pool for young tourists, an entertainment area. Accommodation in this hotel - from $ 200 per day (you can check the dollar exchange rate at the time of the trip with the tour operator). Moreover, in the high season (from February to April), the cost rises significantly.
Racha Island (Phuket) hotels offers not only luxurious, but also rather modest hotels. Standing on the shore facing the sea, to the right of Patok beach you will see the inexpensive Bungalow Raya Resort. It offers rooms for extreme sports. They include insect protection - a mesh wrap located above the bed, a fan and an in-room shower. The cost of living in this hotel is from $ 30.
A narrow path runs north of Patok Beach, which takes you in a few minutes to the second most important beach on the island - Siam beach. Here is Resort Phuket 3 *. Although the hotel has only three stars, it is famous for its luxurious garden. Only non-smoking guests can rent rooms at this hotel. The cost of living - from $ 60 per day.
The island of Racha (Phuket) on the east coast has a comfortable Resort & Spa 3 * hotel. Forty-eight of its rooms have magnificent sea views. Residents can visit the infinity pool with a beautiful children's area. Room prices - from $ 80 per day.
For tourism purposes, the northern sections of the island are mainly used. Paths cross the entire perimeter. It is not difficult to take a calm step from west to east in ten minutes the whole island. Racha has several more small bungalow complexes in the center, designed for budget resettlement.
You can sail to this island without having any specific plans, and act on the mood and weather on the spot. If desired, you can extend your stay.
Beaches
Racha is an island with several beaches that tourists have appreciated. In its western part is the picturesque Patok Bay. Its width is about three hundred meters. The length of the bay is almost a thousand meters. Most tourists visiting this wonderful island believe that the Patok Bay is no less picturesque than Maya Bay, which is located on the Phi Phi islands. Someone may find this opinion controversial, but it has a right to exist.
In the north of the island is another noteworthy beach - Siam Bay. If you compare it with Patok Bay, it is less visited by tourists, and not at all because it is not so picturesque, but because all boats with sightseers arrive in Patok Bay. But even if you arrived on the island of Racha Ai only for a few hours, you can easily visit these two bays, since they are connected by a good road with a length of about three hundred meters.
Three more small bays are located in the east of the island: Ter Bay, Kon Kare Bay, Lha Bay. They are famous not so much for their quality and well-groomed beaches, but for their magnificent views, which make it possible to take unique photos here, great snorkeling and the lack of tourists.
Entertainment
As follows from the foregoing, Racha is an island for a relaxing, secluded holiday in the bosom of amazingly beautiful nature. There is not much entertainment here, especially when compared with the island of Phuket. And at the same time here you can ride horses, bicycles, as well as ATVs. In addition to snorkeling, if you wish, you can go diving on the nearby island of Racha Noi. Longtail rides can be arranged from any hotel.
It is noteworthy that Racha is an island on which motorized forms of recreation are prohibited: parachuting behind a boat, jet skis. That is why many consider the island to be the best place for relaxation. The flora and fauna of the island are interesting. Here you can see numerous monitor lizards who feel at ease on the island, and huge buffalo grazing on the background of coconut palms. All this beauty can be observed from the viewing platform located in the center of the island.
But the vibrant nightlife with discos until morning is not here. But this does not mean that in the evening you will have to sit in your room - in every hotel in the evening you can have a great time in a bar or restaurant and listen to pleasant, often “live” music.
All that you need on vacation, you can buy in several small shops, have a snack in the afternoon in eateries and cafes. There are several massage parlors, bars, restaurants. But once again we want to draw your attention to the fact that prices here are much higher than in Phuket.
How to get there
Interested in Racha Island? Reviews of experienced tourists say that the rest here will be remembered for a long time. However, not everyone knows how to get to the island: trains do not go there, planes do not fly. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to fly to Phuket. From here to the island of Racha you will be delivered from the moorings of Rawai or Chalong.
We recommend getting on a speed boat or boat, since they are not so vulnerable to a sudden change in weather and the wave. A ticket for a boat costs from $ 19 one way, the journey will take no more than forty minutes. Traveling on a longtail may be a little cheaper (subject to active bargaining), but in this case you will spend at least an hour on the road. You can book a trip to Racha Island as a tour at the tour desk or at a hotel in Phuket. For the day, the cost of the trip, including snorkeling, lunch, a round-trip transfer will cost you $ 33-38 per person.
For those who do not need one day to be in silence alone with the pristine nature, mini-tours for several days with accommodation in hotels of the island of Racha are possible. Such trips are quite justified, since the one-day excursion is too fleeting, and it is difficult to appreciate all the beauty of the island during this time. From Phuket, boats arrive on Racha island on the beach - Patok beach. There is a pontoon pier. We can say that tourists directly from the ship fall "to the ball" - a wide snow-white beach strip amazes and delights at first sight.
The magnificent island of Racha Yai welcomes its guests throughout the year. Only a few times (during the rainy season) do boats stop traveling to the island due to storms.
Cost of a trip to Thailand
Airline prices can vary significantly from season to season and airline stocks, which are held fairly regularly. The average price of air tickets to Phuket is 25 thousand rubles.
The cost of a trip to Thailand also depends on the season for which you are planning a trip and the selected hotel. So, from February to April a ticket costs from 27,500 to 27,700 rubles. From May to January - about 26 thousand rubles (for one person for seven days).
Tourists reviews
Most tourists note that the trip left an unforgettable experience: cozy bungalows and hotels, magnificent nature, there are cafes and shops on the coast. The disadvantages of vacationers include the evening outflow of water when stones are exposed on the beach, and the rather high cost of the trip.